Sugar cane piler



April 6, 1954 E. J. BouDREAux 2,674,380

fSUGAR CANE PILER INVENTOR.'

I Edwin Blauw/eaux,

ad, f fw ATTORNEYS.

April 6. 1954 E. J. BouDREAux 2,674,380 SUGAR CANE PILER Filed May 9.195o n 7 sheets-sheetv 2 l I l l l l 1 INVENTOR':

ATTORNEYS.

PII 6, 1954 E. J. BouDREAux 2,674,380

SUGAR CANE PILER md May 9, 195o 7 sheets-sheet s Edwin JLBdr/eaaygATTORNEYS.

April 6, 1954 E. J. BouDREAux 2,674,380

SUGAR CANE PILER 54 INVENTOR: 6

ATTORNEYS.

April 6, 1954 E. J. BoUDREAux 2,674,380

SUGAR CANE PILER Filed May 9, 1950 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VENTORIATTORNEYS` April 6, 1954 Filed May 9, 1950 A 91ml E. J. BoUDRl-:AuxV2,674,380

SUGAR CANE PILER 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 @l IGI@ lwlmll INV ENT ORI Edwin.lpudnewg BYMWMKW.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

it, swing it laterally, and release it onto a conveyance alongside.Machine piling of cut cane, it will be recognized, is apt to dirty thecrop, and cause dirt and trash to be gathered into the piles along withthe cane, whereby it is less acceptable to the mills and commands a muchlower price than does a clean crop.

It is a primary object of the present invention, accordingly, to providea cane piler adapted to pile cut cane with a lifting, rolling movement,

whereby the cane is not dirtied by contact with the ground, and dust,trash and the like are shaken and sifted out of the cane as a pile isformed.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved cane piling meansadapted for use with conventional sugar cane loaders.

A further object is to provide a cane loading machine including a canepiler readily elevated relative to the ground. Another object is toprovide a cane loading machine including a cane t piler adapted to beadjustably tilted relative to the ground.

Still another object is to provide novel grapple mechanism for caneloading machines, particularly adapted to function effectively under allconditions in cooperation with the cane piler of the invention.

Further objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made clear fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the machine of Figure 1, takensubstantially on the line 2-2 thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view corresponding generally to Figure 1,with parts omitted for the sake of clarity, and showing the cane pilerand grapple in cane engaging position;

Figure fi is a sectional elevational view taken substantially on theline 4-4 of Figure 1, showing details of the cane piler and theelevating means therefor;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, sectional elevational view of the machinegrapple, showing details of its construction;

Figure 6 is aside elevational view of a simplified modification of theinvention, including means foradjustably tilting the cane piler;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the modication shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the cane piler, partially brokenaway to show the drive therefor;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 9 9 ofFigure 8;

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l-l ofFigure 8, showing details of the piler conveyor, and

Figure ll is a sectional view taken substantially on the line lI-H ofFigure 10.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figure l, the loading machinecomprises a frame l0 supported by wheels l2, and adapted to be propelledin conventional manner by power plant Hi. Above the frame a verticalmast I6 is provided, mounted in axially rotatable fashion on a bearing I8, supported by a standard 20 built up on the frame. Suitable guys (notshown) may be provided to steady the upper end of the mast.

A rigid boom 22 is pivotally engaged to the lower end of the mast, as bypivots 24. The angularity of the boom relative to the mast is controlledby a line or cable 26, extending from lug 28 near the top of the mastabout a pulley at the outer end of the boom, and thence about the pulley3B mounted at the top of the mast to a hand` winch. 32, suitably mountedalongside the mast as on bracket 34. Winch 32 may obviously be poweroperated, if desired.

A grapple indicated generally as 36 is suspended below the outer end ofthe boom by means of cable 38, which extends from boom lug 48 about thegrapple pulley 42 to pulley 44 at the outer end of the boom, and thencealong the boom to pulleys 46 and 48 adjacent the lower end thereof andto the cable winding drum 50, suitably mounted on the frame. Thegrapple, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, comprises a grapple .head 52, tothe bottom corners of which opposed tongs 54 are individually pivoted.Pivotally engaged to each tong by a pivot 56 located adjacent the pointof tong attachment to the grapple head is a link 58, and the other endsof links 56 are engaged to a common pivot 60. Common pivot Gil isconnected to the grapple head 52 by extensible means such as hydrauliccylinder 62, one end of which is pivotally engaged to the grapple headby pinV 64, the outer end of the cylinder piston rod 66 being pivotallyengaged to pivot 60.

A rigid aligning rod 68 is pivotally engaged to grapple lug 10, and isslidably retained by a guide sleeve 'l2 pivotally mounted on the boom.The aligning rod functions, as will be readily understood, to maintainthe grapple 1n proper alignment. with the boom at all times, and may beposition in general longitudinal alignment with Y the loading machine toa position substantially transverse thereof, for the purpose ofdepositing the cut cane onto a suitable conveyance alongside. For thispurpose, a hydraulic cylinder 80 may be conveniently employed, one endof cylinder 80 being pivotally engaged to a portion of the machineframe, and the outer end of its piston rod 82 being pivotally engaged tothe mast structure at a point offset from its rotational axis, as by pinB4. Extension of piston rod 82, it will be readily seen, will effectrotation of mast it from the position shown in solid lines in Figure 2to the position indicated in dotted lines in that figure, whereby themast, boom and grapple will be caused to swing approximately 90, andretraction of piston rod 02 will effect return of the mechanism tolongitudinal alignment. Pressure oil may be supplied to cylinder 20 fromvalve i3 through flexible lines 8S and 88.

The cane piler of the present invention is desirably mounted at an endof the loading machine, preferably the front, in substantial align-,ment with one of the wheels l2, so that as the wheel travels betweenthe cane rows the piler may engage cut cane normally lying across thetops of the rows. As shown in ligure 2, the cane piler comprisestransversely spaced piling elements indicated generally as 90, separatedby a downwardly and forwardly inclined guide plate 92 disposedtherebetween, the guide plate being substantially spaced from theforward and lower edges of the piling elements, for reasons presentlyapparent.

The cane piler is mounted for vertical movenient relative to the machineframe, being pivotally supported in this embodiment by the outer ends ofarms 94, the inner ends of which are pivotally mounted in bearings 96suitably supported on the frame. Intermediate the length Iof arms 94, ahydraulic cylinder 98 is vertically mounted on frame beam (see Figure4), its piston rod |02 extending thereabove and engaging at its outerend the cross member |64, extending between and suitably secured to thearms. Line m6 conveys pressure oil from valve 'i3 to the cylinder 98.Extension of piston rod |02, it will be seen, effects elevation of thecane piler assembly relative to the loading machine frame, whereby thepiler may be adjusted vertically to compensate for unevenness in theterrain, and may be lifted out of the way at the end of a row or whenotherwise required. To stabilize the piler throughout its range ofelevation, angulated rods |08 are aixed thereto and extend rearwardlytherefrom, the corners of the rods being pivotally engaged to rigidlinks l0, the other ends of which are similarly engaged to downwardlyextending frame members ||2. In this manner, the piler is supported atseveral points by a parallelogram linkage, and maintains its relativedisposition throughout its range of elevation.

The piling elements 90 may be provided with downwardly and inwardlysloping guide plates Siri extending above their upper edges, to assistin guiding the grapple tongs therebetween. The piling elements comprise,essentially, forward edges disposed generally vertically, and aplurality of cane engaging members extending beyond the forward edgesand adapted to be elevated relative thereto, to pile the cane in thedesired manner as the loading machine moves along a row.

The piling elements may be constructed as illustrated in Figures 8, 9,10 and ll, wherein it will be seen that each comprises an inner guardplate H5 and an outer guard plate i3, substantially triangular in shape,spaced and joined by a spacer member |20. At the corners thereof, spacermember |29 is provided with arcuate recesses |22, which form, with theguard plates, housings for sprockets |24. The two forward sprockets aremerely idlers, and are rotatably mounted on headed stub shafts |26,extending through the inner and outer guard plates and suitably retainedas by cotter pins |28 (see Figure l1). The remaining sprocket |24,disposed within the rearward recess |22, is xedly mounted on drive shaft|30, which extends between and through both piling elements.

Entrained about the sprockets, in the exemplary embodiment, is aconveyor in the form of endless chain |52, which carries a plurality ofsuitably spaced and staggered cane engaging fingers |34 affixed theretoand extending outwardly therefrom. The upper and after edges of theguard plates protrude suiciently relative to the chain so that thefingers |34 disposed in these portions of the piler elements do notextend therebeyond. rl'he forward vertical flight of the conveyor,however, is so disposed relative to the guard plates that the fingers onthis portion of the chain protrude therebeyond, and a block |35; may beprovided between this portion of the conveyor and spacer member to serveas a backing member and guide for the chain.

As shown in Figure 9, the angulated rods |68 may conveniently be weldedto the inside surface of inner guard plates IIS.

The chains of both piling elements may be driven by means of sprocket|38 fixed to the common drive shaft (see Figure 8), the sprocket |38being engaged to a source of motive power, preferably a power take-offfrom power plant I4.

As shown in Figure 2, power may be transmitted from power take-off ld ofpower plant |4 by means of suitable sprockets and chains |42 to thelongitudinal power shaft |44, the forward end of which enters gear box|46 and by means of bevel gears |158 and |50 drives shaft |52, one endof which is engaged by means of sprocket |54 and chain |56 to sprocket|38 of the piler drive shaft |30. Conventional clutch means (not shown)may be incorporated in the drive system at any convenient point. Bymeans of a sprocket |58 xed to power shaft |44 intermediate its length,power may also be supplied through chain |69 to sprocket i62 of shaft|64, adapted to drive the cable winding drum 50 through its clutch |66.A conventional brake |68 may also be provided to control the operationof the cable winding drum.

The operation of the device will now be dcscribed in detail. The canerows having been cut and allowed to fall across rows in the usualmanner, the loading machine may be driven along the rows, with the wheell2 adjacent the cane piler guided between adjacent rows, and the pilerelement chains driven from the power takeoff through the drive systemdescribed above, to cause the forward flight of the chains and thefingers |34 carried thereby to move upwardly at a fixed rate. As thepiling elements advance into the cane, accordingly, the rising ngerspro- Atrading from the forward edges thereof will engage the cane stalksand project them upwardly. The combined upward and forward movement ofthe cane piler, then, imparts a lifting and rolling movementl to thecane, each stalk as engaged being lifted out of contact with the groundand knocked onto the tops of the stalks in advance thereof. The actionof the cane piler is effectiveto pile the crop with an absolute minimumof ground contact. Furthermore, the ac tion of the ngers in striking thestalks from below and projecting them upwardly and outwardly is adequateto loosen dirt therefrom, and dust, trash and the like are sifted out ofthe cane as it is piled. rThe spaced piling elements arealso eifective,obviously, to align the stalks in parallelism in the pile.

When a cane pile of suliicient size has been formed, forward moverrentof the loading machine may be stopped, and the grapple lowered betweenthe piling elements by release of the cable winding drum. As will beevident, the downwardly and inwardly sloping guide plates ||4 atop thepiling elements and the downwardly and forwardly sloping guide plate 82therebetween f-unction to properly position the rear tong or tongs ofthe grapple with respect to the piler mechanism, and thereby to properlyposition the grapple tongs over the cane pile. When the grapple has beenlowered into position, the tongs 55| are closed by actuation of cylinder62 to extend its piston rod 66, whereby the links 58 effect angularconvergence of the tongs, engaging Vthe cane pile therebetween. Theloaded grapple may then be raised by operation of the cable winding drum5D, and the mast, boom and grapple swung outwardly of the loadingmachine by eX- tension of piston rod' 82 of hydraulic cylinder 80, aspreviously described, whereby the loaded grapple may be positioned overa truck or other conveyance travelling alongside the loading machine.When so positioned, the grapple may be opened by retracting operation ofits hydraulic cylinder, and the cane dropped onto the conveyance. Themast, boom and grapple may then be returned to normal longitudinallyaligned position by reverse operation of pneumatic cylinder 80, inreadiness to engage, pick up and load the next pile. Forward movement ofthe loading machine may be begun as soon as the grapple and engaged canepile have cleared the piler mechanism, and the piling, engaging,lifting, swinging and dropping cycle is then repeated.

As previously indicated, the guide plates` particularly plate 92',insure proper positioning of the rear tong of the grapple, so that thetongs are properly and positively positioned relative to 4the pile. Thespacing of guide plate 92 from the forward and lower edges of the pilingelements permits the rear grapple tong to enter between the pilingelements merely far enough so that its point will engage the groundimmediately to the rear of the cane pile. The construction of thegrapple, particularly the individual pivotal mounting of the tongs andthe pivotal connection of the hydraulic cylinder to the grapple head andto the tongs, permits the tongs to function substantially individually,so that positive grappling action is attained under all conditions, eventhough one or the other of the tongs accidentally hangs up. Functioningof the grapple in this manner, it will be evident, is especiallydesirable in cooration with the piler of the invention, and in theengagement of material 'such as cut cane.

A simplified embodiment of the invention, including means for adjustablytilting the piling elements, is illustrated in Figures 6 and '1. Asthere shown, the cane piler is mounted on the frame I8 of a conventionalsugar cane loader, provided with a conventional boom |18 and grapple|12. As before, the cane piler is mounted at the front of the loadingmachine, astride the path of one of the front wheels I2 thereof.

In this embodiment, the loading machine power plant I4 is provided witha side power take-01T |74, and the piling element drive shaft |30 isdriven therefrom by means of chain |16, engaged to sprocket |18 fixed todriving sleeve |88, which is rotatably mounted upon the rock shaft |82,suitably supported above the machine frame, as in bearings |84. Drivingsleeve |88 mounts also the sprocket |86, which is connected in drivingrelationship to sprocket |38 of drive shaft |38 by chain |88.

Manually operated means are provided in this modification to elevate andlower the cane piler. As best shown in Figure 6, the drive shaft |30 ofthe cane piling elements is rotatably mounted in the outer ends of arms|90, the inner ends of which are xed to rock shaft |82. Intermediate thelength of rock shaft 82, an upstanding short link |92 is aiiixedthereto, to which is pivoted, as at |941, a rearwardly extending link|96, which is pivotally connected at its free end to anupstanding lever|98. The lever |88 has a handle 288 at its upper end, and at its lowerend is pivoted as at 202 to a conventional gear segment 20d. It will bereadily understood that arcuate shifting of lever |98 will effectrotation of rock shaft |82, and thereby raise or lower the cane pilerrelative to the loading machine. To stabilize the piler throughout itsrange of elevation. angulated rods |88 are affixed theretol in themanner previously described, the corners of the rods being pivotallyengaged to rigid links H8, the other ends of which are engaged, in thismodification, to the outer ends of the downwardlr extending links 288,the upper ends of which are pivotally engaged to the machine frame as at288. This structure, it will be recognized, is substantially equivalentto the parallelogram linkage employed in the modication previouslydescribed.

Under some conditions, depending on crop density, moisture content andother factors, it has been found that the operation of the cane pilermechanism may be improved by varying the disposition of the forwardedges thereof relative to the vertical through a short range.Accordingly, in the present modification, manually operated means fortilting the cane piler and varying the disposition of the forward edgesthereof relative to the vertical is also provided. To effect thisadjustment, a rearwardly extend.- ing link 2|8 is pivotally engaged tothe. pivot 2|2 joining links ||0 and 28o, the other end of the link 2H)being pivoted to a lever 2M having a handle 2|6 at its upper end, thelever 2M being pivoted intermediate its ends as ai; Zl to the con..ventional gear segment 220. Arcuate movement of the lever 2M, forexample to the dotted line position shown in Figure 6, will effectcorresponding movement of the linkage and tilt the cane piler about theaxis .of drive shaft |38 to4 the Adotted line position shown in the samefigure.

In this manner, the disposition of the forward edges of the cane pilermay be adjusted as required to eiect optimum operation under varyingconditions.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No.78,805, iiled February 23, 1949, and now abandoned.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention astructure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, togetherAwith many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As variouspossible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the aboveinvention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to beunderstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is t be interpreted as illustrative, and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a sugar cane loading machine having means for advancing themachine along a row of cut cane, a cane piler comprising transverselyspaced piling elements, the orward edges of said piling elements beingdisposed generali;r vertically and in position to push the cut cane toaccumulate same in a pile in front of said piling elements, caneengaging members extending outwardly7 from the forward edges of saidpiling elements, and means for continuously elevating said cane engagingmembers upwardly relative to said piling elements to elevate the cane inengagement with the cane-engaging members to impart a rolling action tothe pile as the pile accumulates.

2. In a sugar cane loading machine having means for advancing themachine along a row of cut cane, a cane piler comprising transverselyspaced piling elements, the forward edges oi said piling elements beingdisposed generally vertically and in position to push the cut cane toaccumulate same in a pile in front of said piling elements, a downwardlyand forwardly inclined f guide plate disposed between said pilingelements and spaced from the forward edges thereof to guide the prongsof a grapple thereover, cane engaging members extending outwardly fromthe forward edges of said piling elements, and means for continuouslyelevating said cane engaging members upwardly relative to said pilingelements to elevate the cane in engagement with the cane-engagingmembers to impart a rolling action to the pile as the pile accumulates.

3. In a sugar cane loading machine having means for advancing themachine along a row of cut cane, a cane piler comprising transverselyspaced piling elements, the forward edges of said piling elements beingdisposed generally vertically and in position to push the cut cane toaccumulate same in a pile in front of said piling elements, a downwardlyand inwardly inclined guide plate secured to the upper edge of each ofsaid piling elements, and a downwardly and forwardly inclined guideplate disposed between said piling elements and spaced from the forwardedges thereof to guide the prongs of a grapple thereover, cane engagingmembers extending outwardly from the forward edges of said pilingelements, and means for continuously elevating said cane engagingmembers upwardly relative to said piling elements to elevate the cane inengagement with the cane-engaging members to impart a rolling action tothe pile as the pile accumulates.

4. In a sugar cane loading machine having means for advancing themachine along a row of cut cane, a cane piler comprising transverselyspaced piling elements, the forward edges of said piling elements beingdisposed generally vertically and in position to push the cut cane toaccumulate same in a pile in front of said piling elements, caneengaging members extending outwardly from the forward edges of saidpiling elements, means for continuously elevating said cane engagingmembers upwardly relative to said piling elements to elevate the cane inengagement with the cane-engaging members to impart a rolling action tothe pile as the pile accumulates, and means for elevating said pilingelements relative to said loading machine.

5. In a sugar cane loading machine having means for advancing themachine along a row of cut cane, a frame, an arm pivotally mounted onsaid frame and extending forwardly therefrom, a cane piler comprisingtransversely spaced piling elements pivotally mounted on the forward endof said arm, the forward edges of said piling elements being disposedgenerally vertically and in position to push the cut cane to accumulatesame in a pile in front of said piling elements, cane engaging membersextending outwardly from the forward edges of said piling elements,means for continuously elevating said cane engaging members upwardlyrelative to said piling elements, means operative on said arm forelevating said piling elements relative to said frame, and meanspivotally connected to said frame for maintaining the verticaldisposition of said piling elements throughout the range of elevationthereof.

6. A machine as in claim 1 wherein each piling element has chain meansthereabout on which said cane engaging members are mounted.

7. A machine as in claim 6 wherein the means for elevating the caneengaging members comprises means for driving said chain means about saidelements.

8. A machine as in claim 7 wherein each of said piling elementscomprises an inner and outer vertical guard plate, said plates beingtriangular in shape, sprockets positioned at the corners of and betweensaid inner and outer plates of each piling element, said chain meansbeing entrained in said sprockets, and said cane engaging membersextending beyond the edges of said inner and outer plates.

9. A machine as in claim 8 and further including spacer means betweenthe spaced apart inner plates of the respective elements for permittingthe reception of tongs of a grapple between said inner plates.

l0. A machine as in claim l and further including means for tilting thepiling elements about a horizontal axis.

l1. A machine as in claim 4 and further including means for tilting thepiling elements about a horizontal axis.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 759,190 Pope May 3, 1904 1,342,463 Sanwo June 8, '19201,441,249 Smith Jan. 9, 1923 1,462,787 Degendorfer July 24, 19231,595,709 Coburn Aug. 10, 1926 2,355,213 Flanagan Aug. 8, 1944 2,375,205Barras May 8, 1945 2,403,346 Deters July 2, 1946

